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LeBron James went down hard on Saturday, much to the agony of Los Angeles Lakers fans across the globe.
A high-ankle sprain will cost The King some time following that hard collision he suffered in the first half against the Atlanta Hawks.
Here's the video of LeBron rolling his ankle:pic.twitter.com/pXDV0YXobF
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 20, 2021
In the opening minutes of the second canto, James figured in a battle for a loose ball with Solomon Hill. The Hawks swingman dropped to his knee in a bid to gain possession but undercut James’ right leg in the process, causing his ankle to roll where it shouldn’t be.
Being the trooper that he is, James tried to shake it off and resumed play, despite being in obvious pain. After drilling a 3-pointer in the ensuing possession, he went back to the locker room and was deemed done for the night.
Initial X-rays came out negative, but the Lakers are expected to practice caution on him, especially with their other superstar Anthony Davis also still rehabbing from his own setback.
This is certainly unfamiliar territory for the four-time NBA MVP, considering he’s been as close to a superhuman over the course of his legendary career.
He has only missed one of the reigning champions’ first 42 games this season, but it looks like he’ll now be forced to watch from the sidelines for quite some time.
Apart from the groin injury that plagued him in his first season with the Purple and Gold, LeBron has been blessed to avoid any major injuries, which is another testament to his greatness.
He has played hurt numerous times in the 2020-21 campaign though, with both ankles usually the primary culprit. With that said, let’s re-visit the instances where James has tweaked his ankle this season prior to that injury against the Hawks.
Opening night versus the Clippers
LeBron James’ tough luck with bum ankles started since Day 1 of the new season, when the Lakers received their 2020 championship rings. He tweaked his ankle mid-game against the Clippers but soldiered on and still managed to finish the contest.
After the match, the 36-year-old megastar downplayed the severity of the issue and even quipped that a glass of wine at home is all the remedy he needs.
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He elected to play in the Lakers’ next game versus the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day and looked 100 percent healthy.
Lakers vs. Timberwolves
Already hobbled by that compromised ankle, James fought through the discomfort and made sure the reigning champs were off to a fast start in their title defense. In a home game against the Timberwolves a week later from the opening, James barreled his way to the cup and landed hard on his left ankle after a collision with Jarred Vanderbilt.
LeBron James held on to that ankle for a few seconds before getting back on his feet on his own accord. It was once again business as usual for the four-time MVP, who led his team to another W.
Playing hurt the entire January and February
LeBron James was listed to have a left ankle sprain almost the entire first month of 2021, but he somehow did not miss any games during the process. Yes, that includes back-to-back games.
He experienced minor tweaks several times in-game, but he somehow kept it going and played in an MVP-level for the Purple and Gold.
LeBron’s ankles never really fully healed considering he continued to play as February started. The King once again suited up for the full month and curiously only rested once on March 3.
